No jail for Ruislip robbers who stole Nike trainers and Armani watch

One of the masked gang’s victims had a hammer placed against his kneecap until he reset his mobile phone to factory settings and pass it over, Oxford Crown Court heard on Monday (April 3).

The brazen thieves, who swooped on their victims at a quarry near Chinnor on May 18, 2020, relieved another boy of his Nike Jordan trainers - and even suggested the youngster remove his socks.

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Prosecuting, Richard Mandel told Judge Ian Pringle KC that three of the robbers – Lewis Marsh, Harry Sullivan and Omar Elouahabi, all now 21 – were stopped in Sullivan’s red Fiesta the following day in Ruislip, London.

Inside the car was an Armani watch that had been robbed from one of the gang’s victims the previous day, the court heard.

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When Marsh and Sullivan’s phones were seized, phone messages revealed that both men had been involved – independently - in dealing drugs.

The former sold cocaine, ecstasy, cannabis and ketamine. In a basis of plea, he claimed he started off dealing to friends before selling to friends of friends. The latter, Sullivan, admitted dealing cannabis.

Sentencing, Judge Ian Pringle KC imposed two year community orders as a direct alternative to sending the men to prison, citing the ‘enormous changes’ in both men’s lives in the three years since the robbery.

Earlier, the court heard that a group of youngsters was approached on May 18, 2020, by a young Asian man aged between 17 and 18 who asked where the car park was.

Mr Mandel said this was a ‘ruse’ to ‘gauge the situation as to whether the group of young people who were going about their lawful business were fit victims for robbery’.

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Around 15 minutes later, the youngsters were surrounded by robbers wearing face coverings, including bandanas and balaclavas.

The gang instructed them to ‘give us your s***’. Mr Mandel said: “It seemed initially what the robbers were after was cannabis. There wasn’t any to be had so they went on to attempt to or obtain other items.”

One of the victims wrestled with the robbers to prevent them from taking a medallion from around his neck. The necklace had been his grandfather’s.

A second boy, whose rucksack and Nike trainers were stolen, had a wrench placed against his neck. It was suggested that he also remove his socks in what the prosecution said was an added element of ‘humiliation or degradation’.

The former Chinnor Cement Works, pictured in 2009 Picture: Mark Bassett

Another was ordered to hand over his mobile phone and reset it to the device’s factory settings. A hammer was held against the boy’s kneecap to encourage his compliance.

A Ford Fiesta linked to the robbery was caught on CCTV. The car was stopped in Ruislip the following day, when Sullivan was in the driver’s seat and Marsh and Elouahabi were passengers. Wrenches and a stolen Armani watch were found in the Ford.

The homes of all three young men were searched. In Marsh’s house, police officers discovered a JD Sports bag in which they found three tied bandanas and a balaclava.

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Marsh, of Denham, Bucks, pleaded guilty to robbery, attempted robbery and supply of class A and B drugs.

In mitigation, he was said to have been ‘off the rails for a period of time’ in his youth and, having developed a serious cannabis habit as a teenager, was dealing to fund his own habit. Since the robbery spree he had completed a plumbing apprenticeship, defence barrister Preet-Paul Tutt said.

Sullivan, of Ruislip, admitted robbery, attempted robbery and supplying class B drugs.

Adam Pearson, mitigating, described his client’s involvement in the thefts as out of character and an ‘isolated incident in an otherwise law-abiding life’. He had put drugs behind him and now worked for Thames Water as a plumber.

Judge Pringle told the two men that because of the ‘enormous changes’ both men had made since the robbery, he thought it was ‘only just’ to give the pair a chance to prove they were ‘responsible, grown up, mature adults’.

As part of their community orders, each man must complete 300 hours of unpaid work and rehabilitation activity sessions with the probation service. Marsh was ordered to comply with a six month curfew, while Sullivan was curfewed for three months.

Elouahabi, formerly of South Ruislip, will be sentenced on Thursday. He is currently remanded in custody, having been charged with an unrelated allegation of importing almost a dozen kilos of cannabis.